New Gear : March 2010

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 1050 HeadMaybe you’ve seen “flying faders” on an SSL mixing board, but have you ever seen “flying knobs” on a bass head? Gallien-Krueger’s Fusion 1050 allows for two unique EQ settings to be stored and recalled via footswitch, at which point the motorized knobs go flying. The front end is loaded with three 12AX7 tubes for extra warmth on top of G-K’s trademark solid-state punch, and the back end pumps 1,080 watts bridged into 4Ω.Price: $1,299Contact: www.gallien-krueger.com

Maybe you’ve seen “flying faders” on an SSL mixing board, but have you ever seen “flying knobs” on a bass head? Gallien-Krueger’s Fusion 1050 allows for two unique EQ settings to be stored and recalled via footswitch, at which point the motorized knobs go flying. The front end is loaded with three 12AX7 tubes for extra warmth on top of G-K’s trademark solid-state punch, and the back end pumps 1,080 watts bridged into 4Ω.Price: $1,299Contact: www.gallien-krueger.com

Planet Waves Tru-Strobe Pedal Tuner

We’ve all seen the fancy, hyper-accurate strobe tuners on the workbench of our favorite guitar setup dude. Now the Planet Waves Tru-Strobe Pedal Tuner brings tuning perfection to your feet, with true strobe accuracy that ensures precision tuning up to 0.1% of a cent, six detuning modes for those who drop, and a super-bright LCD display visible in full sunlight. Just remember to get one for your guitarist, too—because if he’s not using a tuner, no one else in the band needs one, either.Price: $99Contact: www.planetwaves.com

Mark Bass Little Mark Rocker 500

The clever wizards at Mark Bass have been successfully delivering big things in little packages for some time now. On the Little Mark Rocker 500 they’re going straight for those who want a dirtier Mark Bass tone, with a 6205 mini-tube planted in the Tube Drive circuit for extra crunch. Plus, it puts out 500 watts into 4Ω while still weighing under seven pounds. Mission accomplished.Price: $649 (exact TBA)Contact: www.markbass.com

Peavey PXD Tragic & Void Basses

Peavey’s got a couple of new axes for modern metal players. Its PXD Tragic and Void models take the tried-and-true electronic packages from its Cirrus and Millennium basses and put them to work in two new snarling body shapes. Both models employ neck-through-body construction, an alder body, a 34"-scale maple neck, an ebony fingerboard, and have gloss black, white, or red finishes. They even come with a Coffin Case gig bag, for extra metal cred.Price: $599 (both models)Contact: www.peavey.com

Warwick Adam Clayton Reverso Signature Bass

Who knew that Adam Clayton’s dream axe was a 3-way hybrid of a P-Bass, a Thunderbird, and an Alembic? Apparently Warwick did, as evidenced by its new Reverso custom signature model for U2’s famous bassist. The top-shelf quilted-maple top and matching headstock, mahogany body and flame-maple neck, single active MEC P-style pickup, hard-slanted body shape, fancy hardware, and red side-LED’s all scream rock star. Private jet sold separately.Price: $8,749Contact: www.warwickbass.com

AccuGroove MiniGroove Cabs

AccuGroove’s distinct 3-way tone now comes in a skinny stack of two cute cabs. The MiniGroove 3-Way handles 300 watts and features an 8” woofer, 6.5” mid, and two tweeters, while the MiniGroove sub handles another 300 watts into its two 8" drivers. The 3-Way either tilts back or mounts on speaker stands (use two as PA enclosures), and both are only 10" wide. So when the bandleader says to use stage monitors because there isn’t enough room onstage for your rig, you just say, I don’t think so.Price: $892 (3-Way), $697 (Sub)Contact: www.accugroove.com

Ampeg SVT-7PRO & SVT-8PRO Heads Ultra-vintage Ampeg is going decidedly modern—as in super-light Class D power sections—with its latest additions to the venerable SVT amplifier line. The SVT-7PRO head throws down 1,000 watts while weighing only 15 pounds, while the SVT-8PRO shoots the moon with a scary 2,500 watts of power in a similarly compact and lightweight package. Both units feature familiar Ampeg front-end tone controls—so essentially it’s the same preamp many know and love, just stronger and lighter on the back end. And there’s a line of lightweight cabs (called PRO NEO) debuting in early 2010 to go with them. Prices SVT-7PRO, $799.99; SVT-8PRO, $2,399.99 Contact www.ampeg.com

THE VIBE OF THIS YEAR’S NAMM SHOW WAS UPBEAT, PERHAPS INFLUENCED BY THE ECONOMIC improvements of the past year. Manufacturers, retailers, and artists were excited by the variety of new products, and getting to check them out in person was an absolute delight. What follows is in no way a comprehensive list of new items from NAMM, but rather a small selection from the many products that caught our eye. Please note: A few manufacturers big NAMM releases were covered in our April issue, and we’ll continue to cover new releases in future issues. Check out the manufacturers’ websites for more details on products that grab your attention, and for our photos, videos, and blogs from the show floor, go to the Community page at bassplayer.com.